Gary, Sams Marine shows a hinge and latch, ( taff rail ) in stock. Pricey but if you cannot find them used check www.samsmarine.com , click parts catalog, type in 77205 or 77206 in part number search, click on the part number that appears and see a picture and price. Frank LUV'N LIFE 47' Atlantic

The paragraph below is the beginning of an article in MarEx, a maritime industry newsletter. It would seem that there is a real risk that surveilance and tracking will be extended to all of us - not just our non-citizen visitors. I am not convinced that we pose any more risk than a car or truck, either of which can carry explosives to vulnerable targets. The short link should take you to the full text of the article. Wesley wpeldred@comcast.net http://tiny.cc/Hetqa The Small Boat Threat: No Easy Answer Even with all the other challenges on its plate for the coming year, there is perhaps no greater task ahead of the U.S. Coast Guard and the DHS than determining how best to track, control and otherwise mitigate the risks posed by the millions of small boats that regularly operate in U.S. waters. These craft come in all shapes and sizes, from smaller pleasure craft all the way to speedboats, and a thousand other private and commercial platforms. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen calls it simply, "the small boat threat." He's talking about those vessels 300 GT and under.

It is a sad state of affairs when the protectors of our country are now viewing us, the citizens as a threat. The 'bunker mentality' has put the USCG, DHS and military in the 'bunker' and all of us, the citizens who hire and pay them for protection in the 'enemy' category. It would seem that the ultimate security would be to prohibit private small boats from commercial waterways and harbors. The CG could set up 'no go zones' and arrest any boat in those zones and fire on any boat that is on an intercept course with a commercial ship in those zones. Short of that 'Soviet Union' style approach, any small boat that is 'legal' and 'monitored' could be still stolen or 'boatjacked' by the bad guys and used in an attack. No one has suggested any system to verify who is operating a boat. Considering that most marine targets could be approached by car or truck this 'overkill' approach to small boat monitoring does not seem to eliminate threats. In San Francisco a Chinese oil tanker hit the Golden Gate Bridge a glancing blow spilling a large amount of fuel oil. That happened with a pilot on board and with the CG monitoring its track on AIS. In the last few days several Washington State Ferries have hit docks and breakwaters in Bremerton, near a naval base. The Canadian Ferry Queen of the North hit an island at 17.5 knots due to crew error. If it is that easy for shipping to strike things by error, how easy would it be for those ships to be hijacked and strike something more valuable on purpose. How would the CG stop such a ship? We can never be totally safe, even if we were locked in jail!! Some risk is inherent in life, and boating. If we cannot know and control who is entering our country along our southern border, how can any of these suggestions work? The news media found airport service gates open or only secured by padlock with no security in evidence at LAX, and they worry about passengers having fingernail clippers. Larry H ----- Original Message ----- Subject: T&T: The small boat threat > The paragraph below is the beginning of an article in MarEx, a maritime > industry newsletter. It would seem that there is a real risk that > surveilance and tracking will be extended to all of us - not just our > non-citizen visitors. I am not convinced that we pose any more risk than > a > car or truck, either of which can carry explosives to vulnerable targets. > The short link should take you to the full text of the article. > > Wesley > wpeldred@comcast.net > > http://tiny.cc/Hetqa > > The Small Boat Threat: No Easy Answer > Even with all the other challenges on its plate for the coming year, there > is perhaps no greater task ahead of the U.S. Coast Guard and the DHS than > determining how best to track, control and otherwise mitigate the risks > posed by the millions of small boats that regularly operate in U.S. > waters. > These craft come in all shapes and sizes, from smaller pleasure craft all > the way to speedboats, and a thousand other private and commercial > platforms. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen calls it simply, "the > small boat threat." He's talking about those vessels 300 GT and under.

let's not forge that the terrorists responsible for 9/11 acted like ordinary citizens or residents, boarded airplanes with regular IDs, going thru security check like normal people. so sadly, the threat comes, not from citizens, but terrorists acting like citizens. Look at the damage from 1000lbs of diesel and fetilizer did in OKC in a van. how much damage would you say a 50' trawler loaded with 15 000 lbs of that stuff could do if detonated... i dont' know.. at the entrance of the Miami river, along lower manhattan, somewhere on the potomac, under a bridge maybe? it is a serious threat. Are you suggested they do nothing, just take the blame when another 3000 innocent civilian die? Pascal Miami, fl ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry H" <boatbuilder44@earthlink.net> > It is a sad state of affairs when the protectors of our country are now > viewing us, the citizens as a threat. The 'bunker mentality' has put the > USCG, DHS and military in the 'bunker' and all of us, the citizens who > hire > and pay them for protection in the 'enemy' category.